Vestis Virum Reddit.
When I was homeschooling my oldest son, he decided that he wanted to learn some Latin. I don't remember much of what we studied, but the phrase, "Vestis Virum Reddit" has always stuck with me. It means, "Clothing Makes the Man." My son was particularly intrigued by this thought, because he was on the verge of manhood and searching for ways to express himself through his clothing.
We talked about what this tidbit of Latin meant, and we decided that our clothing helps us to feel complete. At times, it expresses who we are more powerfully than words can. My son realized that clothing is a great divider of mankind, elevating the well-dressed to positions of leadership and sifting out the less fortunate and poorly dressed to less desirable places in society.
Is our clothing important to God?
I believe that our clothing is important to God. When he gave directions to Moses for the outfits he designed for the priests to wear in the temple, God said, Weave the tunic of fine linen. Make the turban of fine linen. The sash will be the work of an embroiderer. Make tunics, sashes, and hats for Aaron's sons to express glory and beauty. (Exodus 29:5 MSG)
I think that our grooming and attire should reflect God's image that dwells within us. Our outward appearance should express glory and beauty, because God created us to radiate these qualities. When others see us looking our best, they see God in us. And when we pass by a mirror, we see that glory, too. Looking our best builds our self-confidence, because we recognize God's glory within ourselves.
We must be careful, however, or our clothing could become a source of pride that might hurt others. James 2:1 (MSG) warns us, My dear friends, don't let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, "Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!" and either ignore the street person or say, "Better sit here in the back row," haven't you segregated God's children and proved that you are judges who can't be trusted?
"Vestis Virum Reddit" points out the obvious fact that clothing does divide people. And while we ought to strive to look our best, the Bible tells us we should not look down on others who cannot afford nice clothing.
We dress like our peers to fit in.
We do not live on little islands by ourselves. We circulate among other people, and we are wired to try to fit in with them. If we don't dress the part well, we will get negative feedback about our appearance.
For example, there is a distinct difference between the way people dress here in Appalachia and in Chicago. Joe and I went to a sporting goods store recently to buy him some archery equipment. He was wearing a suit, and I was wearing a dress, because we had both come directly from professional meetings.
The clerk blurted out, "Man, you're dressed. You been to a funeral?"
This young man's response to our appearance summed up perfectly the type of culture one can expect here in southeastern Ohio. Most of our neighbors are farmers or work in blue-collar jobs and dress very casually. They see us as foreigners who don't fit in when we over-dress.
If we were in Chicago, Joe and I would not be given a second glance for wearing what we did. There, it is expected that successful business people will dress the part.
If we want to fit in, most of us will figure out that we must dress like others or get rejected. If we feel particularly uncomfortable around our peers because we have been transplanted from another culture, we must either learn to adapt to their way of dressing or go back to our former, familiar place in the world. To feel confident, we need to fit in with our peers.
I have often struggled with this concept of dressing to fit in, because I am not comfortable wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt to go to the store or to worship. Around here, putting on a pair of jeans and a clean shirt is considered dressing up. I don't like feeling as if I am trying to put on airs, but I also don't like feeling as if I'm impoverished.
So, I've tried to find a happy balance between over-dressing and feeling frumpy in old, ratty clothes. I no longer own very many dresses. Usually, I wear casual pants and an attractive shirt when I go out. To help me feel a little more polished, I add pretty earrings and a bracelet or necklace. I want to make others comfortable when they are around me, but I also want to feel comfortable in my own clothing. I think when we find a way to do both, our confidence grows.
Today's Challenge
Take time today to notice others' clothing. Do you fit in with your peers, or does your clothing elevate you above them? Are you the one looking as if you need to improve your wardrobe? Make some adjustments and strike a happy balance between segregating yourself from others by over-dressing and feeling insecure by under-dressing.
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